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Michigan Runner Girl

The Michigan Runner Girl podcast is where you'll find a passion for running, hiking, paddling, and cycling crosses paths with a love of nature and outdoor exploration in the beautiful state of Michigan — and beyond. A mother, writer, gigantic Great Lakes fan, and book lover Heather Durocher, creator of the running and travel site MichiganRunnerGirl.com, hosts the show. Expect to hear informative, engaging, and inspiring conversations with others also on their own health and wellness journey. The Michigan Runner Girl podcast is about finding our way, through movement. Season One of 2022 now underway, with a theme of Reconnection.
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Now displaying: June, 2017
Jun 27, 2017

During this special 100th episode of the Michigan Runner Girl Show, Heather is joined by Maia Turek, statewide recreation programmer for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, a.k.a. the State Parks Guru. Who better than Maia to be on this anniversary show—she is, after all, just as passionate as Heather about getting outside and exploring (by foot, bike and paddle) all that our gorgeous Great Lakes State has to offer. Michigan is home to 103 state parks and 138 state forest campgrounds, and summer is of course the ultimate time to check them out. Heather shares her family’s plan to head north this summer to spend a week in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, in the western U.P. along the shores of Lake Superior. Maia in turn offers up some great ideas and tips for backpacking and enjoying this vast wilderness area to the fullest. From there, Maia and Heather talk about the numerous state park offerings this summer, taking place throughout Michigan. These include yoga and stand-up paddleboarding options (even yoga SUP’ing), “Fireworks Free Fourth,” at more than a dozen locations, a special meteor shower + s’mores event in August, and lots more. Maia also shares news of an upcoming pet-friendly lodging pilot program. And finally, Maia and Heather announce a special Summer State Park Challenge to inspire your warm-weather traveling and exploring and running throughout Michigan. (A big prize is included!) #runstateparks

 

Link:

michigan.gov/stateparks

 

Jun 19, 2017
Known as the "Original Traverse City Foot Race," the Festival of Races that are part of the National Cherry Festival each July include distances for just about any runner: a half marathon, 15K, 10K and 5K. These races, which take place the final weekend of the weeklong festival, on Saturday, July 8, are a summer tradition for many runners, including Heather's family. This year marks the races' 44th year—the race started in 1973 as a 10K and shifted to a 15K in 1978. In 1989 the 5K was added; most recently, the 10K was re-introduced along with a half marathon. All told, more than 50,000 participants have crossed the finish line over the years. This show features Heather's conversation with co-race director Katherine Brege, assistant race director Tabitha McNeil and Traverse City runner Robyn Thompson. The foursome talk about their favorite Cherry Festival and Festival of Races memories. Katherine shares details on each race—what runners can expect out on the courses—while Tabi offers up information on finish line updates and changes. They also talk about the popular Cherry Mile (formerly the Golden Mile) and Carter's Run, the kids' fun run mile, that take place Thursday evening of Festival Week. 
 
Link: cherryfestival.org 

 

Jun 13, 2017
Episode #98: Jeff Crumbaugh of Great Lakes Endurance on his eco-friendly trail races in northern Michigan, the U.P. & northern Wisconsin
 
Jeff Crumbaugh, longtime runner, race director and founder of race management company Great Lakes Endurance, is known for his commitment to "ecologically mindful running races." Since 2000, Great Lakes Endurance has provided runners with exceptional trail running experiences while giving back to organizations involved in land conservancy, environmental education and sustainable silent sport trail construction or maintenance. Heather has talked about some of these races on previous episodes, in large part because they're among her favorite running events. Topping her list of best trail running races in Michigan is the Grand Island Trail Run, which includes a half marathon, marathon and 50K on the stunning island in Lake Superior near Munising. (This was in fact the topic of the very first MRG Podcast, back in summer 2015.) Jeff joins Heather on the show to talk about the Grand Island Trail Run as well as the others he and his team organize each year in northern lower Michigan, the Upper Peninsula and in northern Wisconsin, where Jeff and his company are based. The next Great Lakes Endurance event is the Two Hearted Trail Run, a 50K, marathon and half marathon on Saturday, June 24on trails between Paradise, Mich. and the mouth of the Two Hearted River. A special race discount code is shared with listeners. You'll also hear all about Great Lakes Endurance's other races held throughout the year, including two winter snowshoe races. 
 
Link: www.greatlakesendurance.com 
 
-- 
Heather Johnson Durocher
Writer/Editor/Publisher/Podcast Host
Michigan Runner Girl ~ In a state of motion
 
3270 Autumn Leaf Drive
Traverse City, Michigan 49686
231-218-0842 (office/cell)
 
Twitter: @michrunnergirl
Have you heard? The MRG Podcast features new episodes each week. Tune in here >>
** Don't miss out on Michigan race news & deals: sign up for the MRG monthly newsletter **
Jun 6, 2017
 More than 5,000 runners finished the Bayshore races in Traverse City a little over a week ago. During this special episode, Heather checks in with Daniel Siderman, race director of the Bayshore, as well as Lisa Taylor, a MRG podcast regular who was recently named executive director of the Traverse City Track Club, which oversees this northern Michigan race tradition. In this first part of the show, Daniel and Lisa give a behind-the-scenes look at the Bayshore, which marked its 35th anniversary this past Memorial Day weekend. They share how this race got started in the early 80s (it began as only a marathon and 10K; the half marathon was added later), how its evolved and grown in popularity (races typically sell out fast when registration opens in December each year), and the impressive impact, financial and otherwise, it has on Traverse City and the surrounding areas. Heather, Daniel and Lisa also talk about this year's races—Heather ran her fourth Bayshore marathon, her 8th 26.2 overall—and the new things runners experienced in 2017 (free race course photography, for example). They also talk about two notable runners who took part in Bayshore this year, one of whom was a complete surprise on race day (hint: she's an Olympic marathon finisher). In the second part of the show, Heather is joined by runner Dave Taylor, who shares his marathon experience at Bayshore—he was aiming to qualify for Boston, and he did just that. Lisa Taylor, who is married to Dave, sticks around for this part of the show and talks about supporting Dave in this goal. Dave just might have a running partner to join him in Boston next April, as their college-age daughter Ellie is hoping to get a BQ at her first marathon this June in Charlevoix, Mich. If you've ever wondered what it's like to run Bayshore, this episode is sure to answer all of your questions. And if you were there yourself running the marathon, half marathon or 10K, you'll have fun re-living your Bayshore experience.
Link: bayshoremarathon.org
 
-- 
Heather Johnson Durocher
Writer/Editor/Publisher/Podcast Host
Michigan Runner Girl ~ In a state of motion
 
3270 Autumn Leaf Drive
Traverse City, Michigan 49686
231-218-0842 (office/cell)
 
Twitter: @michrunnergirl
Have you heard? The MRG Podcast features new episodes each week. Tune in here >>
** Don't miss out on Michigan race news & deals: sign up for the MRG monthly newsletter **
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